Pioneering China sex education workshop motivates people to embrace, share sexual experiences, provokes ire and ‘prostitution’ claims online
- Offline learning sessions teach people how to touch, reach orgasm
- Forward-thinking woman psychologist faces ‘sex work’ jibes over lessons
A psychology counsellor in China on a crusade to popularise sex has opened one of the country’s first offline sex education workshops.
Thirty-something Zhuo Yueyue from Hubei province in central China founded the outlet in the southern city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, at the end of 2017.
In her classes, participants engage in activities such as touching the body of the opposite sex, learning techniques to reach an orgasm and sharing their sexual experiences.
“This is the first batch of sex education classes that can be conducted offline in China,” said Zhuo.
Having worked as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, Zhuo saw there was a need to promote sex education in the country after encountering many patients who had unintended pregnancies, some of whom were under the age of 18.
On one occasion during her working life a superior made a sexual advance towards her, leaving her feeling “very scared” and unsure of how to refuse and protect herself.
Following the incident, Zhuo resigned from the hospital and moved to Shenzhen to study human sexuality and become a sex psychology counsellor, assessing and analysing the sex life of couples and providing solutions.
Since 2017, Zhuo’s offline sex workshops have attracted more than 1,000 people, from teenagers to the elderly.
The workshops are divided into three courses, which range in price from 5,980 to 13,800 yuan (US$840 - US$1,900).
Each course lasts three days and focuses on two aspects, sexual culture and history, and sexual techniques. It includes simulated sexual scenarios using toys, audio, and video.
The course is structured with sections such as “Physical Skills: How to Kiss and Perform Oral Sex”, “Awakening Desire: Learning to Caress”, and “Sexual Positions and Postures”.
In Chinese tradition, sex is considered a sensitive and private topic directly related to reproduction rather than a form of enjoyment or bodily exploration.
Zhuo’s ex-boyfriend accused her of “demeaning” herself, while some people even viewed her as a high-end sex worker.
Despite the criticism, Zhuo continues to conduct her workshops.
“Women often feel embarrassed to express their desire for sex, while men may perceive such desires as offensive,” said Zhuo.
“I hope people can understand that regardless of age or status, we all have the right to pleasure ourselves, and learning about sex is an act of self-love.”
One workshop participant, Cai Yixuan, 30, used to view sex as shameful.
During a three-year relationship, she consistently slept separately from her boyfriend.
“Now I have learned how to protect myself during sex and enjoy pleasure,” said Cai.
Han Hui, 46, once thought her body was not sexy or attractive.
“After attending the workshop, I realised that sex is not about pleasing my partner, but about making myself happy,” said Han.
Zhuo’s workshops have sparked a heated discussion on mainland social media.
“What’s the difference between this kind of class and promoting prostitution?” said one online observer on Weibo.
“Zhuo is a brave woman, and her courses are meaningful, indicating societal progress,” said another.
